featured member project

Featured Member

Mentor relationships develop based on commonalities and shared goals.

When arts professionals in Illinois expressed a need for help transitioning from one generation of leadership to the next, the Illinois Arts Alliance (IAA) responded in a big way. An outgrowth of their Arts Leadership in the 21st Century program, the Mentor Connection Service facilitates mentoring relationships between emerging and established leaders. The goal is to encourage professional growth, provide skill and leadership development, and promote retention within the nonprofit arts field. Next month, arts leaders at various stages in their careers will meet up at a program called Two for One to learn about the doors mentorship can open for all involved, and start the process of developing a mentor or mentee relationship through IAA’s Mentor Connection Service.

The program’s launch on August 9 will start a pilot period for the Illinois Arts Alliance; Mentor Connection Service will exist solely in the Chicago area for one year with hopes of expanding throughout the state after that. IAA will act as the matchmaker, setting up each pair based on the needs of the mentee and the strengths of the mentor. Both sign a mentoring contract that highlights confidentiality and trust between the pair. Although the organization provides training and resources, the peers themselves develop an organic structure for the relationship in order to meet their unique goals. 

A common thread among arts organizations today, leaders are wondering who will take the helm as they retire or move on. The Arts Leadership for the 21st Century project responds to the need with support for Illinois arts organization as they transition. Based on extensive constituent research, the program aims to keep organizations running successfully during and after the succession process. One of the key findings in their research was the need for facilitated mentorships between the current leadership generation and the next. Other recommendations include promoting awareness of leadership succession as a key part of the strategic planning process and cultivating an attitude of promotion from within, including continuing education and training programs and salary considerations. All research results are now available to the public on IAA’s website.